Homecoming Reversed
by ChernobylKrigare
Summary: Summary contains spoilers for one of the endings and cut-scenes towards the end of the game.
1. Water

Summary: Joshua didn't die in the boating accident. When he wakes up, Alex is gone. Years later he has a dream, beckoning him to the forbidden Silent Hill.

WARNING: This fic is based on the water ending, so please don't read this until you have beaten the game to prevent spoiling it.

NOTE: On the official website, if you read Alex's journals it says that Josh is ten year younger than Alex.

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**S**I**L**E**N**T HI**L**L

The day Joshua was born Alex was all but erased from his parents' hearts. At first the ten-year old barely noticed the changes. His mother didn't smile as much and his father didn't pick him up anymore. He thought it was because he was a "big boy" now. But as the years passed, he realized that somehow he had lost their love.

At eighteen, Alex was more than aware of his parent's unconditional adoration of his eight-year-old brother Joshua, and their detest of him. While he was jealous of Joshua's attention, he loved his brother more than anything. He took his responsibilities as the older brother very seriously and was dedicated to him. After all, Josh was the only one in the family who loved _him_.

He would always be ready to help Josh when he needed it.

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"AAAH!!"

Josh's scream woke Alex from a pleasant dream about Elle on the beach. _Damnit…_ Grumpily, he muttered and rolled over on the bunk to see what was wrong. "God.. What's your problem?"

Josh was sitting up, wiping tears from his eyes. "I…had a bad dream." Always embarrassed to show his less-than-impressive crybaby side to his brother, he started to lie down. "Never mind…It's nothing."

Recognizing the shyness and that the ten-year old was perturbed about something, Alex handed him his flashlight. "Look. Take it. If you get scared again just turn it on. Ok?"

"Thanks Alex." His brother turned the light on and truly seemed to take comfort not only in the light but his brother's concern.

The light shone right up his bunk, but Alex didn't let it bother him. "Sure. Anytime, kiddo."

He rolled over back to sleep.

…xXx…xXx

Alex was pissed. He and Joshua had been playing with a recorder when their father walked in. Of course, Alex was immediately scorned and ordered from the room. For a moment, he listened to their dad through the door. He had called _him_ childish and told Josh not to hang around him. He had left after that, but Josh and Adam hadn't come out from the attic until later. Josh had this big grin like he had some incredible secret.

It was well past midnight but Alex just couldn't sleep. He had to get away for a while. Since it wasn't a school night, he decided to let Josh come with him. He slid from the top bunk as quietly as he could then shook Joshua's arm.

"What's the matter?" Joshua asked, sleepily eyeing his brother when he woke.

"Get dressed," Alex replied.

…xXx…xXx

Only the chirping of crickets and the sloshing of the lake broke the midnight silence. Alex felt more at ease on the lake, even though the slight hesitation of being caught made it exciting. He was glad to be away with his brother, even if it was only on the water.

"What are we doing here, Alex? Dad will freak if he finds out."

Alex squinted as Joshua accidentally shined the flashlight in his eyes. He nervously looked at the shore. "Give that to me. Some one will see us," he said, reaching for the army-grade flashlight.

"No!" Ever since Alex had given it to him, the light made Josh feel safe. He was too nervous about getting in trouble, and had rarely ever been out so late at night. The dark just terrified him.

"It's ok," Alex said patiently, trying to soothe him. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Though he was still nervous, Josh trusted Alex and only slightly hesitated and allowed Alex to take the flashlight from him. Knowing that Josh would be too scared if the light was turned off, Alex set it on the floor of the boat facing his brother but not hindering his sight.

"Why are we here, Alex?" Joshua wringed his hands. "What's going on?"

Alex didn't look like he really wanted to talk, so he baited his brother. "What's the matter? Scared?" he teased.

"O-oh no. I'm cool," Josh didn't want Alex to think he as a baby. He looked away. "It's just…Dad never wants us out on the lake."

Alex tensed when their father was mentioned. Ever since Josh could remember there had been tension between their dad and Alex.

"Not _you_ anyway," Alex said. 'Dad doesn't care if anything happened to _me_ out here.' He grew frustrated and continued to take it out on the younger boy. "Dad thinks you're a little baby who can't do anything on his own."

"Oh yeah?" Josh knew he wasn't supposed to show the ring, but he didn't want Alex to look down on him. "Then why'd he give me _this_?" He pulled the family ring from under his shirt and proudly showed it off.

"What is that?" Alex asked.

"It's Dad's ring." Josh slipped the chain over his head. "But…he told me not to show you so…I guess that makes me cooler." He didn't really mean that, and felt bad when Alex was angry.

"Let me see it!" Alex grabbed the ring angrily, pissed that his dad had once again showered his younger brother with love and left him out.

"No!"

"What a piece of crap." He chuckled wryly. It looked old for sure, but he recognized that it was an heirloom of some sort. It just looked like something significant.

"Is not. It's worth more than a million dollars. That's why Dad gave it to _me_." Alex saw how flustered Josh was, and to tease him, laughed and waved the ring in front of him. "Give that BACK! It's MINE!"

Josh struggled for the ring but his thin arms were no match for Alex's muscle. He pulled and tugged, rocking the boat and lost his footing. With a short cry, he fell back into the water.

"JOSH!" Alex shouted. "Oh my god!" He leaned over the side, calling and searching with the flashlight. "JOSH!"

Sinking in the depths, the last thing Joshua heard was the panicked cries of his brother.

"JOSH!"

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I know just reading a novelized version of the cut-scenes must be oh-so interesting, but after this the story changes to my own. I just wanted to establish their past and relationship before moving on.


	2. Dreams

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Joshua dreamt of water, of falling into the cold dark. He was suffocating in the depths, hearing screams that were not his own. Someone was in agony, betrayed and abandoned. Light filtered through the water, pulling him upwards. He recognized the voice as he surfaced.

"Alex?"

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Joshua woke in his bed. Light streamed through the open curtains. It looked to be midday. His mom was sitting in her rocking chair -what was it doing in his room?- sewing -as always.

"Mom?" he croaked. He didn't feel very well.

Lillian nearly dropped her needles. She set them on her chair and moved to sit on the bed next to him. "Josh? Sweetheart, I was so worried!" She hugged him tightly, crying.

Josh thought hard. Why was she worried? He remembered his dream. Water. Pain. Alex!

"Mom, I'm sorry we were on the boat. It-it wasn't my idea! Alex said he--"

"Don't worry about it," Lillian cut him off, and he noticed she had stiffened when Alex's name was mentioned. He must be in really big trouble. "I'm just glad you're safe…"

Josh relaxed and took a deep breath. "Is Alex in trouble?"

She let go of him and stood up, facing away from him and staring out the window. "Alex….ran away."

Josh felt his breath hitch in his throat. _What?_ "Why…?" he asked quietly, tears forming in his eyes.

"You nearly drowned, Joshua. Alex felt guilty and ran away. He won't come back," she said, her voice uncharacteristically cold to him.

Josh couldn't believe it. His big brother, the most important person in the world to him left…just like that?

"But I'm ok!" he sobbed. "Why would he leave me? I-I'm not mad at him!"

Lillian turned to him and held him as he sobbed. She rubbed his back soothingly, whispering soft words of comfort.

"Alex… loved you very much. Wherever he is, knowing that you're alive will make him happy."

Josh sobbed on his mother's shoulder until he fell asleep. Lillian left her son's bedroom and slowly trudged to her room. She collapsed on the bed and waited for her husband to come home. Hours later, Adam arrived looking ill. He sat on the bed and held his wife's hand tenderly. Their eyes met, a guilty deadness echoed in each of them. They took comfort knowing their most difficult decision had finally been carried out.

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No one spoke of Alex after that. Joshua noticed every time he asked if "Alex had called, did Alex write, has anyone heard from Alex?" that his parents grew upset. His pictures were removed from the walls. The only one that remained was in the attic. Joshua stole in and kept it hidden in his drawer. He wanted to have it set out so he could always see his brother's face, but Lillian would be angry.

For nine years, life carried on. Josh was still spoiled, now more than ever, but his parents were broken. It seems they _had_ loved Alex after all, even if they rarely -if ever- showed it before he ran away.

Josh, now eighteen, kept track of his brother's birthdays as they passed. He was the only one who celebrated them a solemn occasion, and he wondered, what was Alex doing that day? Had he a girlfriend who he spent his time with? Alex had always liked Elle, so Josh pictured Alex with someone like her.

On the night of Alex's twenty-seventh birthday, Josh sat in his room playing a game his mother had bought for him a week ago. As the night passed, his movements grew sluggish and his eyes drooped. He fell asleep to the violent images of the attacking monsters and zombie villagers.

He was suddenly in a misty city -fog? Snow? Smoke? He couldn't tell what was obscuring his vision, but he felt he had to move. He walked, calling out for anyone to hear him. Years of neglect and disrepair were apparent on the buildings. All had broken windows or damaged boards, and each was deserted.

Josh heard violent dogs barking in the distance, but never saw a trace of the beasts. After walking for what felt as hours, he came across a smear of blood in the road. Disgusted and fearful, he knelt next to the red substance, peering at it and hoping that it wasn't what he knew it was.

He stood, sickened, and his heart suddenly dropped in his chest and his breath caught in his throat. Just ahead in the gloom was a painfully familiar figure, standing, head slightly bowed with a look of pure rage in his dark eyes.

"Alex?" he whispered, forcing the sound from his lips. His older brother -only looking a few years older than he remembered- turned and vanished into the mist.

Josh darted after him, shouting and near crying for the one he had missed for so long.

"Alex!" He was gone again, vanished so suddenly. He ran past buildings, shouting still. "ALEX!!"

Finally, out of breath and exhausted, he stopped just outside the town. Josh bent over, hands on his knees panting. He had lost Alex again. Why had Alex run from him? What was he doing here? Where _was_ here?"

He straightened and looked into the woods. Had Alex run in there? No way could Josh find him in a forest. He opted to head back to town and try to find _someone_ to help him.

A sign was just ahead of him. Getting close enough to see through the fog, he read the ghostly words. "Welcome to Silent Hill."

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Getting better I hope? I'm not happy with this chapter. I may end up re-writing it, but hopefully I'll actually finish this fic. It won't be too long. Maybe four more chapters. I'm not adding a billion puzzles and twists into the story as are in the game. I'm not nearly so creative, nor do I have that much time on my hands (lol).

I freaking love _Homecoming_. Gotta go attack a bitch that borrowed it now… (lol).


End file.
